


you can't get what you want but you can get me

by SincerelyKleinman



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game), Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brotherhood, Coming of Age, First Times, Fluff, Found Family, M/M, One shot turned multichap, Romance, brotherly bickering, but it's okay because sean and finn bicker like an old married couple when it comes to daniel, discovering sexuality, just a couple 'o boys on the road, lol alt title 'the road to puerto lobos'
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-03-01 10:59:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18799006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SincerelyKleinman/pseuds/SincerelyKleinman
Summary: “Sean.. I care about you. I care about you a lot. And I adore Daniel to pieces. You’re both.. Really special.” Finn stopped, as if he was trying to find the best way to word what he wanted to say next. “Listen.. I know you don’t have much. And I know you can’t stay here because of Merrill, but.. What if I went with you? Between the two of us, we’d have enough money until we find a new job, and I could help take care of Daniel.”





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This started as a fix-it fic where Finn still pursues Sean if he doesn’t agree to the heist. It was meant to flesh out the romance between the two and put it more on par with the Cassidy romance plot. Since posting, I've received a lot of support to make this into a multi-chap, so here we are! Title from On Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz

Sincere eyes and an outstretched hand were all it took to make Sean hesitate. Finn’s offer was tempting, there was no denying that; and there was absolutely no doubt in his mind that Merrill had enough cash in that safe to set him and Daniel up with anything they could possibly need to get to Puerto Lobos.

But Daniel..

No matter how badly they needed that money, would it really be worth Daniel’s safety? Cassidy was right; Merrill and his men were armed and dangerous. He had no reservations against letting Big Joe harm Daniel earlier that day, who’s to say he wouldn’t let him do worse? Pieces started to click together in Sean’s mind as he met Finn’s gaze, the large swelling bruise along the ridge of his nose a reminder of what he was willing to risk to protect Daniel. Sean would’ve taken that punch if Finn hadn’t stepped in.

Sean _should_ have taken that punch.

Though, the evidence of Finn’s genuine care and good intentions blueing over his face was enough to convince Sean that, while Finn may not be happy about his answer, he would undoubtedly understand. “I can’t, Finn. No way.. It’s too dangerous for Daniel.” He shrugged the other boy’s arm from his shoulder, determined to stand his ground against anything Finn may try to say to convince him. Throughout their time with the others, Finn was by far the one Sean could say he’d grown closest to. He knew it was the same for Daniel as well. As jealous as it had been making him feel, his younger sibling admired Finn greatly. He could only hope he wasn’t wrong to think that perhaps Finn felt the same way about them.

“Nah, see. _Daniel_ is the dangerous one! Nobody can even touch him..” Finn put his hands together in his lap, looking towards the ground. This conversation was clearly not going how he had hoped. “You know it..”

“I said, no.” Sean snapped, trying to keep his calm as he felt fury bubbling in the pit of his stomach. He really didn’t want to fight with Finn about this, but maybe it was stupid to hope the other wouldn’t push the issue. “I bet you’re pissed at us because you didn’t get paid; I would be too.. I’m so sorry, but-”

“No, you’re right, Sean.” He locked eyes with the other once more before averting his gaze, fingers picking at the scabs on his hands from healing scissor wounds. “I respect your decision, I just wanted to help you.. and Daniel.” Finn placed a hesitant hand on Sean’s shoulder. It was odd, seeing the other seem so nervous when he was usually so confident and unashamed. “I guess I just thought it’d be cool if you.. and Daniel, stayed with us.”

Sean felt the tension melt from his shoulders at the other’s touch, his voice ringing of sincerity. He understood. Thank god. Sean didn’t flinch when Finn scooted closer to him on the old cracked log. He still looked so uncharacteristically hesitant. Like there was something else he wanted to say, but he didn’t know the right way to say it. Sean felt like he probably had a similar look on his face when he was trying to figure out how to politely decline Finn’s heist idea.

“I’m really glad we met, Sean..” He leaned in close, dreaded hair falling across his face as he kept his head low. “I feel like we have a... strong connection.” His words were stilted, as if he was still processing them as they spilled from his lips. “That’s me..” The arm around Sean’s shoulders grew firm, more confident and sure of itself as Finn tapped his index finger against Sean’s chest. “Always getting obsessed over people I meet..” He was close now. Closer than Sean would have deemed appropriate, but somehow, it felt right. Finn had a way of making everything feel like that. It reminded him of that night they’d watched the sunset together, throwing beers back and talking about life. It was a moment he wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon. He’d immortalized it in his sketchbook for that exact reason, and he had a feeling he’d be adding this one soon as well. “..Sorry about that.” Finn’s eyes drifted back to the ground. How long had Sean just been staring at him, not saying anything?

He zoned back in just in time for the other to meet his gaze, eyes intense and hopeful. Time felt slow, like it was ticking on at half its speed while Sean gathered his thoughts. In reality, it was only a moment. One small moment was all it took for Sean to be positive that this didn’t just feel right, this _was_ right. “I.. I think I feel..” He smiled, and he realized he couldn’t remember the last time he’d smiled so genuinely. “The same..”

Finn smiled back, simple and sweet as he stared, green eyes half lidded. He traced his hand over Sean’s thigh, slow and confident. He seemed to be radiating an emotion that Sean couldn’t quite place, but it was intoxicating. “What are you afraid of?”

Sean wanted to drink him in. He wanted to drown in that confidence, that sureness, that pure ignorant bliss to the party going on around them. “Nothing.”

Sean couldn’t tell who’d leaned in first. Maybe they’d both done it simultaneously. It was freeing to know Finn wanted it as badly as he did right now as their lips brushed together, hesitant for only a moment. When they broke away, it wasn’t enough. Sean leaned back in for more, a bold hand grasping Finn’s thigh as the whole world seemed to melt away. It was just them alone in the forest and everything felt good and right and perfect. Sean was drunk on the way Finn’s lips moved against his own. He felt high on way the other’s calloused hands caressed him. How could he ever walk away from this?

As they pulled away, even the bittersweet hurt of leaving couldn’t erase the smile from his face. “I’m think I’m gonna miss this place.”

“No shit.” Finn’s voice was playful, still giddy from their kiss and that sweet sweet feeling of returned affections. “I love it too.”

“I’m so glad we ran into you guys.” Sean’s heart thudded dull and painful in his chest as he thought of everything they’d be leaving behind. “This has been.. the single best experience in my whole life.” He practically melted as Finn put his arm around him again, pulling him close and comfortable. He wanted so badly to get used to that.

“If tonight is going to be your last night, we should make it memorable.” Finn stood from the log with a stretch, the light from their lantern illuminating his form in a way that was enticing and incredibly attractive. Sean couldn’t have said no if he’d wanted to. “Let’s take a walk.”

The pair found themselves side by side on the trail, trees looming high above them and blanketing them with heavy shade. Their hands brushed exactly twice before Finn grabbed Sean’s, lacing his fingers between his own. His grip was strong and intense, like he’d perish if he ever let go. Sean felt like he might.

It wasn’t long before they’d come across the tree with the large bullseye painted on it. It was only yesterday that he’d been out here with Finn and Daniel, but it felt so long ago now. Sean remembered the way Finn had hugged him that day, the way he’d put his arm around him, flirted with him shamelessly. The touching, the winking, the pet names; it was so obvious looking back. How long had it been that obvious and he just hadn’t seen it? Maybe if he had noticed sooner, things would be different now. They could’ve had more time.

The forest was clearer here, the stars twinkling above now visible without so many treetops blocking them from view. Finn leaned his back against the tree, wasting no time as he tugged Sean forward by the strings of his favorite hoodie. He kissed him hard and needy, Sean’s arms bracketing him in as he placed his palms against the chipped red bark. Sean’s knees felt weak when Finn tangled his long fingers in his shaggy, unkempt hair. He felt the other chuckle against his lips before pulling back to get a good look at him. “Y’know, I’m kinda glad you didn’t let me cut your hair last night. I think I like this better.” He emphasized his words with a gentle tug. Sean was hopeless to stop the low moan that rumbled in the back of his throat. “Oh, you like that sweetie?” He teased with another, harsher tug, and was rewarded with a small gasp escaping Sean’s lips. “God, you’re so fucking hot.” Finn’s statement was mostly mumbled as he slammed his lips against Sean’s own once again.

Sean’s whole body felt warm, hands drifting from the tree to trail along Finn’s sides before resting on his lower back. He pulled Finn close, bodies flush as their kisses grew sloppy and desperate. Sean felt hot. God, he felt so hot it burned. It was too hot. Too much. He need to stop. With a breathy, pleased sigh, he broke away from Finn, face flushed crimson as he tried to catch his breath. “W-wow..”

Finn seemed amused by his reaction, smiling as he continued to play with Sean’s hair. “‘Wow’ is right, I’d say.” Sean never thought he could wax poetic about another boy’s eyes, but the way Finn looked at him had his whole body melting into a puddle of goo. “You need a break, sweetheart?” Again with the pet names. If only he’d realized sooner how much he enjoyed those.

“Yeah, just a minute or two.” He was a little embarrassed by how inexperienced he was, but if Finn was put off by it, he didn’t say so. If anything, he seemed to find it endearing. Sean watched as Finn pulled his throwing knife from his pocket, discarding the sheath for now before digging his blade into the tree. It was hypnotizing, the way his hands moved. Strong calloused hands with long fingers and a myriad of scars. Sean wanted to feel those hands all over his body. As Finn finished his handiwork, they both couldn’t help but smile like absolutely smitten dorks. He’d done the king of cliches and carved their initials into the tree.

“There. We’re immortalized now.” He sheathed his blade before stuffing it back in his pocket, a gentleness to his face as he looked at Sean like he’d planted every tree on this earth just for him. “We might not know where we go from here, but that there is forever. Proof that we existed. Proof that we were here. Like a tattoo on the earth.”

Finn held out his hand to the other as he stood, his other hand dusting the dirt from his well worn jeans. “You ready to head back?” Sean nodded in agreement, fingers intertwining with Finn’s as they walked the short trail back to camp. They moved in comfortable silence, none of the others even noticing them as they walked by their campfire. Before Sean realized it, he was stopped in front of Finn’s tent as the other climbed in. “Well? You coming or what?” Sean’s face flushed deeply at the other’s comment. He stood there frozen as his brain slowly processed exactly what was happening right now.

“You.. want me to come inside?” Sean’s mind flashed back to the box of condoms he’d seen in Finn’s tent early yesterday morning. Did.. Did he want to do that? With Sean?

“Don’t think I stuttered or nothing, hot stuff.” Sean was pretty sure his face hadn’t been any color other than red for the past hour at this point. With nervous nod, he climbed into the tent and laid down next to Finn.

“You okay, man?” Finn laid close, dreads framing his face as he reached a hand out to play with one of the strings on Sean’s hoodie.

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, sorry I’m just nervous? I think.” Sean’s heart pulsed against his rib cage as Finn scooted closer to him. “And.. I’m kinda bummed that we didn’t do this sooner..”

Finn offered a sympathetic smile, hand caressing Sean’s face intimately. “Me too, if I’m being honest. I was starting to think you just weren’t interested. Can’t say I was very subtle.” He offered a teasing smirk before leaning in for a deep, sensual kiss. “So.. since we’re on the same page now..?” Sean didn’t realize just how arousing it was being the subject of Finn’s bedroom eyes. He felt his cock twitch in his jeans, and an overwhelming nervousness in his gut.

“Hey um.. I think I should probably let you know that I’m a.. Uh..”

“A virgin?” Finn didn’t seemed put off in any way. “Hey, it’s okay, Sean. We can take it slow if you want to.” He leaned in for another lustful kiss. “I’m good however you wanna do it.” Sean felt like he could burst into flames at any moment. Was it even possible to feel this fucking hot? With a nod, Sean leaned in, pressing a reassuring kiss to Finn’s lips. Finn grinned wide before stripping his shirt off and tossing it on the other side of the tent. He leaned over Sean’s thin form, straddling his waist with a dangerous look in his eye. Sean felt breathless looking up at him, running a hand over the other’s chest and abs. He wanted to kiss every freckle and scar on Finn’s skin.

Sean moaned lowly as Finn trailed wet kisses along his jaw and neck, one hand slipping under his hoodie to feel over his chest. It all felt so slow and sensual, like he was worshiping every inch of his tanned skin. Finn sat up, tugging lightly on Sean’s hoodie as he spoke, voice teasing and laden with desire. “Think you’re wearing too many clothes, Diaz.” Sean couldn’t agree more. He sat up, tossing his hoodie off quickly before doing away with his shirt, the pile of clothes in the corner of the tent slowly growing. He pressed himself close to Finn as he captured the other’s lips with his own, hands unable to sit still as he explored his shoulders, chest, back, waist. Sean never wanted to stop touching him. “D-Damn, someone’s definitely excited now.” Finn broke away with a heavy pant, hips rolling against Sean’s.

“Can.. C-Can we-?”

“Way ahead of you, baby.” Finn helped Sean out of his jeans and boxers as he groaned at the tightness in his own. He tossed the clothing into the pile, a low whistle pushing through his lips as his green eyes drank in the sight of the boy beneath him. “Shit, Sean. You didn’t tell me you were packing.” Finn bit his bottom lip, loving the way Sean blushed beneath him. His cock was a pretty decent size, long and a little bit thick. It curved gently to the right, circumcised head leaking a bead of precum. Sean gasped as Finn wrapped his hand around him, tilting his head back as the other stroked him slowly, experimenting.”Fuck, look at you. All panting and moaning like that. So damn hot..” Finn’s hand moved faster, twisting his wrist slightly as it moved down the shaft. He got into a comfortable rhythm, the noises Sean made spurring him on.

God, Sean had no idea it could feel this good. He could feel his cock pulse with every stroke of Finn’s hand. How did it feel _so_ much better than his own? “O-oh fuck!” Sean’s back arched as he felt Finn’s mouth wrapped around his cock, his tongue wet and warm as he slid along his shaft. As he looked down, he wasn’t prepared for the sight of Finn bobbing head head on his dick, lips swollen and eyes determined, his dreads bouncing against his face. “O-Okay w-wait- Stop, Finn, I’m gonna c-cum!” Sean gasped at the cool night air against him as Finn pulled off his cock, a cheeky grin on his bruised face.

Finn hurriedly kicked off his own jeans and boxers, a pleasured sigh escaping his lips now that he was finally free of the constricting material. “How do you wanna do this, honey?” His words were sweet and patient as he dug through his bag, pulling out a bottle of lube only a moment later. The sight of that bottle reminded Sean exactly what they were about to do. He flushed deeply as he contemplated. He’d never really thought about being with another man like this before. Would bottoming hurt? What if he didn’t like it? If he topped though, he’d probably cum way too quick. He didn’t want to embarrass himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so nervous. “I see those cogs turning in there, Sean.” Finn leaned in close, nuzzling his face in the crook of Sean’s neck. “Listen, baby. We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with. That’d be real fuckin’ shitty of me.” Finn peppered Sean’s neck with innocent, chaste kisses. “I don’t want you to force yourself and make tonight memorable in the bad way, yeah?”

Sean let Finn’s words wash over him. He didn’t have to do anything he didn’t want to. It was just like when they talked about the heist earlier. It felt silly now, how sure Sean had been that Finn wouldn’t accept no for an answer. Sean had never felt as safe as he did in this moment.

And he knew what he wanted,

“Finn.. I want this.” Sean cupped the other’s bruised cheek, eyes apologetic as he noticed the way he flinched slightly at the touch. “I want _you_. Just.. be gentle?” Finn nodded, pressing a romantic kiss to his lips. He uncapped the bottle of lube, pouring it over his fingers as he kissed him anywhere his lips could reach.

“You tell me if it’s too much, okay? I’ll stop.”

Sean knew he would.

He nodded, the hair on his arms standing up as he felt a finger prodding at his entrance. He’d never done this to himself before. He had no clue what to expect or how it would feel. It burned slightly as Finn pushed his finger inside, definitely the most peculiar thing Sean had ever felt. It hurt, but it wasn’t terrible. He tried to focus on Finn’s sweet kisses and caresses as he worked his finger in and out of him. The addition of a second finger had Sean wincing in pain.

“You alright there, sweetheart?” Finn’s voice was deep and husky, but the lust did nothing to disguise the genuine concern.

“Y-yeah, I’m good. It’s just.. Really different.” Finn kissed him deeply, patiently, adoringly. He spread his fingers, scissoring them inside of Sean as he tried his best to stretch him open as comfortably as possible. By the time he added a third finger, Sean was moaning. He was starting to understand why people did this. Then, there were fireworks.

His whole body jolted, back arched as Finn rubbed his fingers over something deep inside him. _Fuck_ , that had felt good. “Got it.” He heard Finn mumble against his lips, his fingers pressing into that spot again. Just like before, Sean’s back arched. He slammed his hand over his mouth to block out the loud moan erupting from his chest. “Oh come on, sweetie. I wanna hear all your cute little sounds.” Finn teased, pulling his fingers out of the other to grab a condom out of the box by their clothes. Sean tried hard not to vocalize his disappointment before he saw Finn pull the condom from it’s foil packaging and work it over his hard cock. Sean’s heart hammered in his chest. Was that really going to fit inside him? It was much bigger than Finn’s fingers, and that had been pretty tight already. Finn distracted the other with another kiss, lining his cock up with Sean’s entrance. “You ready, baby?” His voice was like honey, thick and sweet. Even now, his accent made Sean feel weak in the knees.

“Y-Yeah.. Yeah, I’m ready.”

God, it burned.

Finn hushed him sweetly as he pushed in, hands firm on Sean’s thighs. Sean could feel every inch of Finn’s cock as he filled him up slowly, gently. He stopped once he bottomed out, trailing kisses over Sean’s chest as he waited for the other to get used to him. Sean could feel the other’s arms shaking and he wondered how hard it must have been to stay still like that. “O-okay. Okay, I’m ready.”

Sean was not ready.

It didn’t hurt, that wasn’t the issue. He gravely underestimated how good it was going to feel. “O-oh my god, Finn!” Sean slapped his hand over his mouth, face red and embarrassed at how loud he’d moaned as Finn rocked his hips against him, cock dragging in and out of his tight entrance.

“C-Come on, baby. What’d I just say, now?” Finn covered Sean’s hand with his own, lacing their fingers together before resting them beside Sean’s head. Sean was drunk on the way Finn looked above him, skin flushed and red, sweat glistening in the dull light, pleasure and adoration written all over his face. He was beautiful, and he was his. Sean would have to capture this moment in his sketchbook later, that he knew for certain.

Sean tangled his fingers in Finn’s dreads as the other kissed him, hard and messy. He knew he wasn’t going to last much longer. “F-Finn. Please, I’m so close..” Finn nodded, panting as he wrapped his hand around Sean’s cock. He lifted the other boy’s leg higher, getting the perfect angle to slam into that spot. “F-Fuck, I’m c-cumming!” Sean’s body spasmed as he came hard in Finn’s hand, coating both of their chests.

“S-shit, Sean!” Finn grunted, the way the other’s body tightened around his cock had him cumming seconds later. He moaned, hips thrusting slowly as he rode out his orgasm.

The night was quiet as they laid beside each other, panting, exchanging lazy kisses and lingering touches. Sean was lost in thought. They hadn’t lasted very long, had they? Was it because he came too quick? Was Finn even satisfied? Sean sat up, looking away from the other, face red and shoulders tense. “Sorry.. If it sucked..”

Finn shot up, expression perplexed. “Seriously? Sean, you were great. I’m kinda embarrassed, actually. I don’t think I’ve ever cum that quick.” Finn bit his lip, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “Besides, it was your first time. I kinda expected you to shoot quick, y’know.”

Sean could feel the tension easing from his shoulders. He was still embarrassed, but Finn didn’t seem disappointed.

Before long they were dressed and ready to join the rest of the group around the fire. As they exited the tent, they noticed Hanna approaching hesitantly. “There you are, Finn. I was looking for you..” She grew quiet, looking between Finn and Sean as she put the pieces together in her head. “Wait… Did you guys just have sex?” Both boys flushed. It was still pretty new to see Finn looking so flustered.

“Yeah, maybe.” Finn smirked, oblivious to the way Hanna’s face seemed to fall. “You said you were looking for me, everything okay?”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah it’s fine. Just.. wasn’t sure where you’d ran off to is all.” She turned towards her own tent. “I’m gonna hit the hay. See you both tomorrow.”

Finn didn’t seem to think much of it, but Sean could feel the tension there from a mile away. He’d forgotten that Finn was open when it came to this stuff. He probably hadn’t liked Sean any more than he’d liked Hanna. It made Sean’s insides twist together.

“I uh.. I should probably put Daniel to bed.” Sean started towards the campfire, hoping the other didn’t decide to follow him.

“Yeah, it’s late. He’s probably tuckered out. I’ll come with.” Shit.

“You don’t have to, it’s fine.” Sean’s voice was cold and sure. He stuffed his hands in the front pocket of his hoodie.

Finn sighed, putting a comforting hand on Sean’s shoulder. “Hey, I get it. You’re put off by the whole Hanna thing. We should probably talk about this..”

“No, it’s fine. Really.” Sean tried hard not to snap, but he couldn’t keep the small trace of anger out of his voice. “I forgot what I was getting into with you, and that’s my fault.” Before Sean could start walking again, Finn stepped in front of him, looking at him intently with both hands on his shoulders.

“Sean, please” Finn’s hands were firm, his eyes pleading. “I know this is gonna sounds crazy. Hell, I feel crazy just thinking about it.” A shaky breath escaped his lips. “But, I meant it when I said I felt a connection with you. I’ve never really felt this way about anyone before.”

Sean was skeptical, he was sure that was written all over his face as well. He wanted to believe Finn so badly, but could he?

“Sean.. I care about you. I care about you a lot. And I adore Daniel to pieces. You’re both.. Really special.” Finn stopped, as if he was trying to find the best way to word what he wanted to say next. “Listen.. I know you don’t have much. And I know you can’t stay here because of Merrill, but.. What if I went with you? Between the two of us, we’d have enough money until we find a new job, and I could help take care of Daniel.”

“Do.. Do you really mean that? But what about Merrill? What about Cassidy and Hanna? Penny and Jacob?” Sean couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was Finn really willing to give up this entire life he built for him and Daniel? “What about Costa Rica? Your plan..?”

“Merrill will get over it, and as for the gang? We’ll always be family, and I know it won’t be for forever. We’ll all see each other again, I’m sure of it.” He caressed Sean’s face with both hands, his touch gentle and caring. “We all know that we’re free out here. Free to do what we want and be who we want to be. Well, I want to be with you now. I’m sure they’ll respect that.” He smiled, and Sean knew he’d never get tired of Finn looking at him like that. “Besides, they got coconuts in Mexico right? My plan hasn’t changed, it just got better.”

Sean didn’t even think as he took Finn’s face in his hands, kissing him deeply, emotionally. They broke apart in surprise as they heard Penny whooping and catcalling from his spot by the campfire. Cassidy smiled in their direction, crooked teeth charming and happy. Sean flushed deeply, stuffing his hands back in his pockets. “I’ll get Daniel to bed. Are you.. Gonna tell them tonight?”

Finn nodded with a shrug. “Yeah, better to rip the band-aid off now. Nothing they say is going to change my mind.” They both looked towards the campfire, Penny and Jacob laughing at something Cassidy said while Daniel rests his head on her, definitely ready for bed.

It’s crazy just how much could happen in just one night. Though, if being on the road had taught Sean anything, it was that life happened fast. He had to make the best of every single day and roll with the punches life threw at him.

As he laid Daniel down for bed, he told him a story about the two wolf brothers, and a friendly hound who left his pack to join them along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Be sure to comment/leave kudos! I love the potential of Finn traveling around with Sean and Daniel. Thanks for all your support in turning this little one shot into a fantastic journey!


	2. room for one more troubled soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _With a sigh, Daniel sat up, eyes tired and looking far too weary for his age. “I don’t wanna say goodbye. Saying ‘goodbye’ makes it feel like forever.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for everyone who commented, left kudos, or showed support for me continuing this fic. I've had so much inspiration for it and I'm excited to share it with all of you. 
> 
> Chapter title from Alone Together by Fall Out Boy

Sean never thought he’d see the day where he’d be awake early enough to watch the sun illuminate the tent through it’s green canvas walls. Part of him couldn’t help but wonder if the previous night had even happened. Maybe it was all a dream and he’d have to start getting ready for another day at the farm in just a few hours.

It wouldn’t be the first time life pulled a joke that cruel on him.

He rolled over to find Daniel, snoring heavily with his face buried in the backpack he was using as a pillow. He was nestled cozily in his raccoon hoodie. Sean would never regret stealing it for him. It wasn’t a proud moment, but it was a necessary one. Sometimes, you have to do bad things for the right reasons. Another lesson he’d learned on the road. Unfortunately, these lessons weren’t always easy to explain to Daniel.

Sean sighed, running a hand through Daniel’s messy mop of bedhead. Sean may have been fine with refusing a haircut, but Daniel should probably have one at some point. It seemed his hair wasn’t the only thing that had started to grow in their time on the road. Daniel looked to be maybe a full inch taller since Seattle. At this rate, Sean would have to get him some new clothes. That could get expensive fast.

He couldn’t think about that now, though. He and Daniel would have to start packing if they wanted to be on the road before the others had to go to work. He gave Daniel’s shoulder a light shake, chuckling at the way he whined and grumbled, arms snuggling his backpack closer to his body. “Come on, enano. We need to start packing if we want time to say goodbye to everybody.”

Daniel groaned into the backpack, still refusing to budge. “What if I don’t want to say goodbye.” A frown tugged at the corners of Sean’s lips.

“These are our friends; they helped us. Why wouldn’t you want to say goodbye?” Surely Daniel didn’t hate being here that much, did he?

With a sigh, Daniel sat up, eyes tired and looking far too weary for his age. “I don’t wanna say goodbye. Saying ‘goodbye’ makes it feel like forever.” His voice was quiet as he mumbled, backpack still held tightly to his chest.

Sean felt a slight shock at Daniel’s response. Every once in a while, his little brother had the habit of saying something uniquely profound. Something Sean had never really thought about before. With a sympathetic look, Sean placed a comforting hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Maybe we won’t say ‘goodbye’ then.. Maybe we can just say ‘see you later’.” He offered a reassuring smile, tension releasing from his shoulders at the way Daniel smiled at his suggestion.

“Yeah.. that’s better. I’ll be okay with that.” He lets go of the backpack, setting it down neatly on the tent floor. “Hey, Sean..?” He spoke hesitantly, as if testing the waters.

“What’s up, enano?”

“Is Finn really coming with us? Like.. for real..” Daniel’s gaze was fixed on the floor, his fingers fidgeting with a lose thread along the wrist of his raccoon hoodie. Sean nodded, giving Daniel’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“Yeah, Finn is coming for real.” The affirmation in his voice wasn’t just for Daniel, but for himself as well. Sean could still hardly believe all that had happened the previous night. Not only had he and Finn kissed, something he still thinks Lyla would lose her mind about, but they slept together and agreed to travel together. Lyla would probably have a brain aneurysm if she heard all that.

Daniel definitely perked up at the news. “It’s because he thinks I’m cool.” He grinned excitedly, looking to Sean with a challenge in his yes. “Finn is _my_ friend, okay? You can be friends with him too, but he’s my friend first.”

Sean couldn’t help but laugh. He decided to let Daniel have this rather than burst his bubble. He wasn’t quite sure how he’d bring up their relationship to Daniel anyway, so better to leave that to be future Sean’s problem. “Oh, yeah? How come he gets to be _your_ friend first?”

Daniel crossed his arms, looking back at Sean with all the confidence of a kid who knew they were about to get their way. “Because Lyla was your friend first and I never got to hang out with her unless you said it was okay. So now you need my permission to hang out with Finn.” Oh no, he’d have to sneak around Daniel to get to Finn. What ever will he do? Sean actually snorted.

“Maybe we should let Finn choose who gets to be his friend first?” He ruffled Daniel’s already messy hair, voice teasing in that way only an older brother’s could be. “Unless you’re afraid he’ll pick me?”

Daniel wrestled out of Sean’s hold with a laugh. “Not in a million years. I have super powers, I know I’ll win.”

“And here I thought you were telekinetic this whole time. When were you going to tell me about your future vision, Daniel?” He gave his brother a playful shove, and Daniel shoved back harder.

“Shut up, Sean! You’ll see!”

Sure he would.

It didn’t take the boys long to pack up their belongings. Everything they owned fit in their backpacks, so there wasn’t much to pack. The last thing Sean put away was the picture of their father hanging up on the back wall of the tent. As he held the photo in his hand, he couldn’t help but wonder what his father would think of him now. Would he think he was taking good care of Daniel? Would he be proud of him? What would he think of Finn? He sighed as his mind was flooded with bittersweet thoughts of alternate universes and ‘what ifs’. Why couldn’t he have met Finn in high school? His dad wouldn’t have approved; Finn definitely wasn’t the best of influences, but Sean would trade this unstable life on the road for a cliche romcom of a life any day.

“Sean, I’m hungry.” Daniel whined, backpack securely on his shoulders.

Sean took a look around the tent, surprised at how quickly Daniel had packed all his toys away. He thought he might try to stall more like he did at the cabin all that time ago. “All we have to pack up is the tent, so we can stop for some breakfast. Talk to everyone before we say our ‘see you later’s.” Daniel smiled, exiting the tent quickly thanks to the promise of food and Sean’s brotherly support.

As Sean followed through the flap in the tent, he could already see Daniel rushing towards the kitchen area. Penny was sitting with Hanna, both nursing a mug of coffee while Finn leaned against the table. They all looked troubled. Sean couldn’t help but wonder if the talk hadn’t gone as well as Finn had hoped.

Daniel made a beeline straight towards Finn, seemingly forgetting his mission for food. “Finn, do you like me or Sean more?” He said, almost matter-of-factly. Finn’s whole face softened at Daniel’s presence, an easy smile spreading across his lips.

“Well obviously my best little bud, right?” Daniel pumped his fist victoriously. “Though, big brother is pretty cool too.” Finn emphasized with a wink straight at Sean. It wasn’t hard to miss the way Hanna snorted and Penny snickered into his coffee mug. It made Sean’s face flush. There’s no way Hanna didn’t tell Penny what they’d been up to in Finn’s tent the night before.

“Can I have coffee too?” Daniel pushed his luck as he took a seat across from Hanna.

“I think caffeine is the last thing you need, enano.” Dealing with Daniel could already be exhausting and troublesome. There was no way he was adding caffeine to the mix.

“That’s bullshit.” Sean was really starting to regret telling Daniel he could curse.

“You can have a sip of mine; If that’s alright with big bro?” Finn looked to Sean, taking in the firm expression of ‘fuck no’ on his face. “One sip ain’t gonna hurt, Sean.”

“Okay, but I already told him ‘no’, so..”

“Why not? Finn’s right, one sip won’t hurt! Come on, Sean, please!” Daniel looked at Sean with his best puppy dog eyes and it took every ounce of his self control not to give in.

“Because I said so, and Finn should be backing me up.” Sean’s jab wasn’t subtle in the slightest.

“Not if I don’t think you’re being fair, sweetheart.”

“Trouble in paradise already? Y’all ain’t even on the road yet.” Cassidy’s voice cut through the tension in the air as she strolled into the kitchen area and leaned against the table next to Daniel. She took an obnoxiously loud bite of a granola bar, her expression smug as she looked between Finn and Sean.

“Do you have any more of those? I’m starving.” Daniel gave an exaggerated groan, staring at Cassidy’s granola bar like a hungry mutt over a slab of steak.

“ _And_ you’re letting him starve? Tsk tsk, boys.” She turned towards Daniel with a smile on her face, gap tooth showing proudly between her lips. “I’ll do you one better, kiddo. I think we still have some Lucky Charms left.”

“Wow, really? Can I have a bowl with just the marshmallows in it?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” She gave Daniel a pat on the back and gestured for him to follow her to their makeshift pantry.

Sean exhaled slowly, looking towards Finn with a stern look in his eyes. “I know you want to make Daniel happy, but you can’t undermine me like that, okay?” His expression softened. “I have a hard enough time getting him to listen to me regularly..”

Finn seemed to curl in on himself, hunched low like a child getting in trouble with their parents. His face was apologetic and sympathetic. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I should’ve accepted it when you said no the first time.” He stepped closer, hands fidgeting like they desperately wanted to grab on to something. “But I also think you can afford to be a little less strict with him. ‘Because I said so’ ain’t a good reason for anythin’, Sean.” He sighed, fixing his posture as he placed a hand on Sean’s shoulder. He liked doing that a lot.. “I know Daniel can be a handful and you don’t want him to get into trouble, but you’re not doing this on your own anymore. Let’s work together, okay? Not against each other. Compromise, and all that.”

Sean placed his hand over Finn’s with a nod. He still didn’t like the idea of Finn telling Daniel yes when he’d already said no, but Finn was right that he needed to learn to compromise better. This wasn’t solved, Sean was sure of it. But it was fixed enough for now. The seeds of change had been planted, and they’d figure it out someday.

Daniel came rushing back to the table, a blue plastic bowl of colorful marshmallows in hand. “Sean, look! None of the yucky cereal pieces!” Sean looked down at the bowl with a small smile. He may have avoided giving Daniel caffeine, but he’d definitely have to deal with a sugar rush later, courtesy of Cassidy.

“I can feel my blood sugar rising just from looking at that bowl.”

“Hold on, wait a minute.” Penny looked up at Cassidy, who was snickering and leaning against the tree holding up the tarp above the kitchen. “Cas, are you telling me there’s a flavorless box of plain, marshmallow-less cereal back there now?”

She shrugged, gesturing to Daniel happily eating his diabetes inducing breakfast. “Look at that face? He’s living his best life right now, ain’t that what all this is about?”

Daniel nodded enthusiastically, mouth full of sugary marshmallows. “This is absolutely my best life.”

Their laughter died down into an uneasy silence, Daniel seeming to be the only person oblivious to the elephant in the room.

“So.. you’re really going with them then..” Hanna’s voice shattered the quiet like Daniel’s baseball through their neighbor’s window. Sean nearly chuckled at the memory.

“Yep. It’ll be us three amigos against the world.” Finn reached his arm around Sean’s shoulder, pulling the other close to his body, side by side.

“Right, ‘amigos’.” Hanna smirked, her voice knowing and teasing. She approached Finn hesitantly before wrapping her arms around his middle and pulling him in for a bittersweet hug. “It’s weird, saying goodbye to you after all this time.”

“That’s why we’re not saying goodbye.” All eyes were on Daniel as he finished up his cereal. “We’re just gonna say ‘see you later’. So you know it’s not forever.”

“Where the hell is Jacob? He’s missing out on our ‘see ya laters’.” Cassidy wiped a tear from her eye before closing in to pull Sean and Finn into a big hug.

“I don’t think he’s left his tent today.” Penny reached across the table to give Daniel a high five and rustle his hair once more for old times sake. “I tried talking to him earlier, but he just said he wanted to be alone..”

Hanna scoffed as Cassidy separated from Sean and Finn. “Figures. Well if he wants to sit and stew by himself, he can. More hugs for us.”

“Can I get a hug too, Hanna?” Daniel stood from his spot at the table, arms open wide as he looked at Hanna with pleading eyes. The kind of eyes it was impossible to say no to. Sean snorted. Sometimes he missed being 9.

“Of course, Daniel. Come here.” She crouched down to scoop Daniel into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her tight, and buried his face against her shoulder. “I’ll see you later, kid.”

“See you later, Hanna.”

Their ‘see you laters’ continued on like that for a few more minutes, jokes passing through each others lips and teasing remarks made towards Sean and Finn that went completely over Daniel’s head. It was weird, leaving somewhere he’d called home for the past month; leaving people he’d called family. Sean knew they couldn’t stay, but he wished that they could. They’d all meet again, though. Someday. He was sure of it.

“Wanna help me take the tent down?” Sean smiled at Finn as the rest of the group coddled Daniel and showered him with affection.

“Sure thing, sweetie. That all you need to get goin’?” They walked close as they made their way back to Sean’s tent, hands brushing as they moved side by side, but Sean made no move to link them together.

“Yeah, we’ve got everything else done. How about you? Did you pack earlier?”

Finn scratched the back of his neck, head bashfully low as he looked up at Sean through thick locks. “I packed last night, actually. Couldn’t really sleep, so..”

A joyous laugh bubbled it’s way through Sean’s lips. How could a guy who looked so intimidating actually be such a sweetheart? He really was the sweetest guy Sean had ever met. “Glad to know I’m not the only one excited.”

“Hey Sean, can I ask you somethin’?” Finn’s shoulders hunched, a sign that Sean learned meant he was feeling nervous and uncomfortable

“Of course, what’s up?” He tried to sound as open as possible.

“Are we.. are we telling Daniel? About us?” Out the corner of his eye, Sean noticed the way Finn’s fingers twitched, longing to grab hold of his hand and never let go.

Sean was pensive a moment, his mind working out the pros and cons. “Eventually, yeah. But I think it might be better to keep it a secret for now.” He sighed, the way Finn’s face fell hurt; it really did. “I just.. Don’t want Daniel to think you’re ‘taking me away’ from him, y’know? Or that _I’m_ taking _his_ friend away.” Finn gave him a look of understanding, and a truckload of pressure was lifted from Sean’s shoulders.

“It’ll be hard keepin’ my hands off you, but I think I’ll survive.”

“Shut up, oh my god.”

Disassembling the tent was easy now. Sean could remember the first time he’d ever set the thing up. They were in the woods and it was raining, Daniel was cold and wet and hungry and tired and Sean was struggling with trying to get the tent into it’s proper shape. He’d snapped at Daniel that night. Sometimes he just got so stressed out, it was almost easy to forget that Daniel was hurting too. Taking apart the tent the next morning took nearly an hour. Daniel had offered to help three times and on the third time, Sean had yelled at him to stay out of the way. Maybe Finn was onto something about being more fair to Daniel..

“Well, they’re gonna have to start gettin’ ready soon. Big Joe’s gonna be here in an hour.” Finn cracked his knuckles before slinging his own bag over his shoulder. “Better grab Daniel and give our final goodbyes.”

“‘See you laters’.” He corrected with a bittersweet smile. “Daniel doesn’t like goodbyes.”

“You are so hot right now, damn.” Finn laughed at the way Sean’s face flushed a deep red. “Come on, big brother. Let’s collect the little one before they all decide to keep him.”

When they get back to the kitchen, Daniel is sitting on the tabletop, movements animated as he talks loud and boisterous.

“Alright, enano, time to go.” Sean grabs Daniel to help lift him off the table, only for Daniel to whine and kick at him.

“Let go, Sean! I can get down myself!” The older boy rolled his eyes and let Daniel do as he pleased. He just wanted to look like a big kid in front of the others, though his whining sort of defeats the purpose.

It was weird, now that it was finally time for them to depart. Looking at all their familiar faces, Sean was having a hard time coping with the fact that he wouldn’t be seeing them again for a long time.

“Do you have a plan?” The question was odd coming from Cassidy’s lips. She was usually so carefree, not a worry in the world.

“Got a buddy working out in wine country who can get us a job. We’ll be on the road for a few days, but it’ll be good money once we get there.” Finn nearly fell over from the way Cassidy threw herself at him, arms tight around his shoulders as she hugged the living daylights out of him.

“I’m gonna miss you. You’re like.. a brother to me or somethin’.”

“It won’t be forever, Cass. Promise. I’ll see ya around.” Finn detached himself from her tight hold before offering the group a two fingered salute. “I’m leavin’ Hanna in charge. Watch after these freaks for me.” A chuckle escaped his lips. “Make sure Big Joe doesn’t eat them.”

They waved each other off one last time before the trio took off into the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Be sure to leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed it!  
> If you wanna see dumb jokes, fic previews, ask about my headcanons, submit a prompt, or just chat with me, you can check me out on my [tumblr!](https://sincerely-kleinman.tumblr.com/)


	3. we can make this leap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“So is the howling just like a thing he does or..?” Finn whispered against Sean’s ear and he nearly jumped. When had Finn leaned in so close?_  
>  _“It’s a thing we do together, actually. We’re the wolf brothers.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So happy to bring you all another chapter! This one plays around with each of their dynamics, and I'm really excited to finally share it with you all.
> 
> Chapter title from Geronimo by Sheppard

Sean didn’t miss walking, that he knew for sure.

His legs were sore, his feet were starting to blister, and Daniel seemed to complain about being tired every twenty minutes or so. They’d been on the road for two days now, yet it somehow felt like weeks. Despite how much it sucked travelling again, Sean wanted to try and focus on the silver lining: travelling with Finn was fantastic. It was like watching one of those survivalist shows on TV. He knew so many tips and tricks for the road, and he’d already helped Sean and Daniel out of a handful of sticky situations. They’d stopped at a gas station a few miles back, and Finn knew exactly how to get the best bang for their buck. It felt great, having so much more money than when he and Daniel had first started their journey, but he really needed to save as much as possible. The longer it took them to save money, the longer it’d take to get to Puerto Lobos.

As per Finn’s suggestion, they were avoiding walking near any roads after leaving the gas station. It was a precaution, so they couldn’t be found if anyone happened to recognize Sean or Daniel. This found them deep in the woods, far enough to avoid being spotted, but close enough to hear the road when they needed to get back to it. Finn had a very keen sense of hearing, another small detail Sean added to his list of things he’d learned about his boyfriend. Was that even the right thing to call him? They were definitely _something_. The two hadn’t done anything more than platonic since that night they’d shared in Finn’s tent, though that was likely because they were still keeping it a secret from Daniel. At least, Sean hoped that was why.

“Sean, my legs still hurt. Can you carry me again?” Exhaustion was prevalent in Daniel’s whiny voice. It was late afternoon. They’d been up early that morning, but Daniel shouldn’t be nearly this tired already.

“I carried you like a half hour ago; I’m tired too, Daniel.” Sean adjusted the bag on his back before cracking his neck noisily.

“Sounds like you both need a break.” Finn’s suggestion was tempting, but they had to keep moving.

“We don’t have time for a break-” Sean bumped into Finn’s back at the other’s sudden stop. He held his hand out, index finger pointed upwards as he shushed the other.

“Do you two hear that?” It was quiet for a moment as they all listened.

“What am I listening for?” Daniel’s voice was small and quiet as he tried to focus on everything he was hearing.

Then, there it was. The unmistakable sound of rushing water.

“C’mon, this way!” Finn took off deeper into the woods, Daniel hot on his trail with an excited howl.

_Fuck, here we go again_ . Sean started after them, trying his best to keep up. Funny how Daniel was so tired of walking a few moments ago, but now was perfectly okay with running after Finn. It was starting to feel like he was looking after _two_ kids now.

For the second time in the past few minutes, Sean ran into Finn after a sudden stop. “Dude, seriously-” He stopped, mouth agape as he stared at the sight in front of them. A large stone cliff piled high, wet and covered in moss. A rushing waterfall flowed down into a shimmering pool. It was as beautiful as it was secluded, trees towering over the area and hiding it from the outside world.

“You ever been cliff divin’, sweetheart?” Sean looked back at Finn with wonder in his eyes.

“No, never. Is it like.. Super dangerous?”

Finn shrugged, moving his hand in a ‘meh’ motion. “Kinda. This looks pretty tame, as far as cliffs go. Water’s deep, no sharp rocks at the bottom or anything.” He wrapped an arm around Sean’s shoulders, pulling him close to his side. “What do ya say, my little Sean? Let’s take a dive.”

It was definitely terrifying, but also exhilarating. Sean felt adrenaline pumping through his veins. Finn made it sound safe enough, and they really did need a break from walking anyway, right?

“Can I dive too?!” And just like that, Sean’s bubble of adrenaline infused bliss popped. God, he’d almost completely forgotten Daniel was here.. Finn seemed to have that effect on him sometimes. He moved away from Finn’s touch, looking down towards Daniel with a serious look in his eyes.

“There is no fucking way I’m letting you jump off a cliff, Daniel.”

“Why not? You were going to!” He let out a frustrated shout, kicking the dirt aggressively. “This is such bullshit! I never get to do anything fun!”

“Alright, everybody just calm down.” Finn stood between Sean and Daniel, arms outstretched to keep them from closing in on each other. “Daniel, Sean’s right to think it might be a bit too dangerous for you.”

“But I’m not a little kid anymore; I can do it too!” Daniel looked at Finn with pleading eyes. He looked so betrayed.

Finn knelt down to Daniel’s height before placing a hand on his shoulder. “How about me and Sean go first, and if he decides it might not be as dangerous as he thought, you can go too.” He attempted a compromise, looking to Sean for confirmation. “That sparkle with you, big bro?”

Sean mulled it over in his head. He really wanted to just tell Daniel no and leave it at that, but he thought about what Finn had told him a few days ago about being more fair to Daniel. Finn said it was safe. He had no real reason to believe it was safe for him but not for Daniel. “I’ll try it. But if I don’t think he can handle it, he’s not jumping.”

Finn nodded, giving Daniel’s shoulder a squeeze. “That sound okay to you, little man?” Daniel crossed his arms but agreed.

The climb up the cliff was quick. Sean tripped when they got to the top and Finn helped him back up. He relished in the feeling of Finn’s hand wrapped so protectively around his own, letting their intertwined fingers linger for a moment before pulling apart. He couldn’t let Daniel get suspicious. He still wasn’t ready to have that conversation.

Daniel rushed towards the edge, excitement and awe painted over his face. “We’re on top of a waterfall, this is so cool!” He howled loudly into the open air, the way his voice echoed making him more giddy.

“So is the howling just like a thing he does or..?” Finn whispered against Sean’s ear and he nearly jumped. When had Finn leaned in so close?

“It’s a thing we do together, actually. We’re the wolf brothers.” He smiled to himself, glad to see Daniel having fun. He hurried over to his brother’s side and howled. They both stopped suddenly when a third howl joined their’s, echoing through the trees. They turned to see Finn standing behind them, hands cupped over his mouth, another howl letting loose from his lips. The brothers joined him, smiles wide as they howled together.

Sean never imagined he could ever feel as good as he did in this moment.

The second Finn started stripping down to his boxers, Sean had to look away. His face was conquered by a deep red blush, arms wrapped around himself as he tried really _really_ hard not to let his eyes wander. Finn rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck as he stood at the edge of the cliff. He chuckled as he looked over at Sean, very flushed and still fully dressed. “Now surely you ain’t swimmin’ in all that, are ya?” There was a teasing lilt to his voice that had Sean feeling weak in the knees.

This was probably the fastest Sean had ever thrown his clothes off, which was a shame considering all the other things he could be using this raw talent for.

“Alright just loosen up and feel no fear.” Finn looked down at the waterfall. He took a few steps back before running towards the edge and jumping into the rushing water below.

Sean felt his heart plummet into his stomach. He leaned over the edge, staring down into the water as he heard a loud splash. He felt panic rising within him before he saw Finn’s head pop out from under the water. He gasped, a wide smile on his lips as he flipped his wet dreads out of his face. Finn looked good wet.

Finn looked _really_ good wet.

He was shouting up at him, though Sean couldn’t hear him over the falls. He offered Sean a thumbs up, signaling that it was okay for him to go. He took a deep breath. _Loosen up and feel no fear._ He took a few steps back and ran towards the edge before jumping into the falls.

It was unlike anything Sean had ever experienced before. The feeling of total weightlessness as he fell through the air, already soaked from the waterfall. Rocks and trees blurred in the corner of his vision as he fell past them. His heart pounded against his chest as he came closer to the lake below. He landed with a splash, body jetting towards the bottom of the lake as he slowed to a stop. He swam back up to the top in no time, gasping for breath when he finally made it.  “Oh my god, Finn! That was amazing!”

“See? What’d I tell ya!” He laughed, splashing the other playfully before letting out a low whistle. “Damn, you look hot all wet like that.”

Sean flushed, splashing Finn roughly. “H-hey, not in front of Daniel.”

“Oh come on, Sean. Daniel’s still on top of the waterfall, he can’t hear us.”

Sean looked back up towards the top of the cliff to find Daniel staring down at them. He sighed as he weighed the pros and cons in his head. “It wasn’t as dangerous as I thought but.. It was kinda scary? What if it’s too much for Daniel?”

Finn caressed Sean’s face with a confident hand, tilting his chin towards him to meet his gaze. “If he hates it, he never has to do it again. And at least then, it would be _his_ choice.”

Wet hair dripped over his face as he nodded. He looked up towards the cliff before giving Daniel a thumbs up. The kid practically jumped for joy. Sean watched carefully as his small form disappeared from the cliff top, backing up for his running start. A moment later, Daniel was throwing himself off the cliff and into the falls. Time seemed to move in slow motion as he watched his brother fall. He didn’t realize how tense his body was until he felt Finn’s gentle hand caress his own comfortingly under the water. He relaxed instantly.

Daniel’s splash was much smaller than his own, but it was still enough to soak both him and Finn. When he came back up through the water, the smile on his face was blinding. “Sean, that was so cool!”

“You did a great job, enano.” He couldn’t help the way warm, happy feelings bubbled up in his gut. It was so nice, seeing Daniel have a good time. It’s like he hadn’t realized how miserable he’d been until he’d seen him happy like this.

“What’d I say, sweetie? Safe and sound.” Finn offered Daniel a high five, which was accepted with great enthusiasm. “Knew you could do it, kiddo.”

“Of course I could, I’m awesome!”

“Don’t get too cocky now.” Sean laughed as he splashed Daniel, the other boy nearly falling backwards from the force of the water. He splashed back with a laugh, Finn soon joining their little water fight. He took Daniel’s side.

Sean had to admit, they needed this break. It’d only been two days since they’d been back on the road, but adjusting to it after having some form of stability for so long was definitely difficult for Daniel. Sean would be lying if he said he hadn’t been stressed out also.

Finn was great with Daniel, that was something Sean couldn’t keep denying. His brother trusted him with everything he had. There was a pang of jealousy in Sean’s chest, but it quickly melted into fondness. Maybe telling Daniel the truth wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe he’d understand. Maybe he’d support them and they could be a weird fucked up family.

“Alright little man, we should probably start making camp soon.” Daniel whined in disappointment but agreed, only just now noticing how dark the sky had gotten. Sean wished Daniel would listen to him the way he listened to Finn, but he was thankful Daniel would at least listen to one of them. As they waded out of the lake, Finn offered to run back to the top of the cliff and grab their clothes while Sean started setting up camp.

Setting up the tent went smoothly. As he started setting up his and Daniel’s sleeping bags, he thought about how much he wished he could sleep in Finn’s tent with him. He thought about the other boy’s arms around him, face buried in his neck as he held him close and comfortable. Sleeping next to Finn sounded like pure, unadulterated bliss. He couldn’t leave Daniel alone, though. He just couldn’t do that to him.

“What do you guys wanna eat?” Finn grabbed his backpack as he came back towards their makeshift campgrounds. He tossed Daniel his clothes before giving Sean his t shirt and jeans. Sean noticed immediately that his hoodie was missing. A beat later, he found the culprit. Looking back at Finn, he saw him buried in the dark fabric, wet dreads dripping onto the hood. He had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he started setting up his own tent.

Sean wanted to sleep in Finn’s tent tonight.

But he couldn’t.

“Can we have some of that mac and cheese we got?” Daniel paid the two no mind as he tugged on his raccoon hoodie. If there was one plus side to Daniel being a young kid, it was his lack of a refined pallet. He didn’t need fancy dinners or a well rounded meal. He was perfectly content with instant mac and cheese and canned ravioli.

“Sounds like a plan, Daniel.” He turned to Sean with a charming smirk and a flirtatious look in his eye. “You wanna get dinner started, sweetheart?”

Sean shoved him playfully with a laugh. “Fine, but not because you asked me to.” Daniel offered to help set up a fire while Sean dug around his bag for the mac and cheese they’d bought earlier that day. He was going to miss the meals Hanna used to make back at camp. He really should’ve asked her to teach him a few things about cooking on the road.

As he prepared their dinner, Finn sat down next to him, his tent now completely set up. Sean tugged at one of the strings of _his_ hoodie with a quirked eyebrow. “So am I getting this back or..?”

“You can have it back when I’m done with it.” The playfulness in his voice had Sean smiling fondly.

“And how will I know when you’re done?” He teased back, shuffling closer to the other as Finn caressed his thigh with a calloused hand.

“If you want it back that bad, you could always hold me down and rip it off m-”

“Is the food done yet?” Daniel’s loud whine startled them both as he climbed out of his and Sean’s tent. He looked between the two with curious eyes. “Are you telling secrets? Sean, Finn is _my_ friend.”

Sean jumped up from the spot by the fire, nearly spilling the hot mac into his lap in his haste. “Look at that, the food’s done!”

Daniel seemed to forget all about the other two as he hurried over to the fire, excited to finally get some food in his stomach. Crisis avoided, thank god. Sean handed each of them their portions, sitting noticeably further away from Finn than he was before.

He finished his food much quicker than the others, the both of them doing more talking than eating. It was always nice, watching Finn and Daniel get along so well. Finn wasn’t always right, and he wasn’t always safe, but he definitely cared about Daniel. There was no doubt about that.

Sean pulled his sketchbook out from his bag, pencil in hand as he studied the two boys in front of him. He’d drawn Finn many times at this point, but every time he felt like he noticed something new and exciting. Time seemed to blur as he worked on his sketch, his brain converting everything he saw into lines and shapes. He drew the waterfall in the background, and the clear lake it poured into. He drew Finn and Daniel, relaxed and happy as they talked about whatever inane topic had crossed their minds, and he drew the crackling fire in front of them. He smiled as he finished. This was definitely a favorite.

“Sean, are you ready for bed yet? I’m tired.” Daniel’s shoulders drooped as he stood, one hand rubbing at his eye sleepily. Sean looked back up towards Finn. The other looked wide awake. Maybe he could put Daniel to bed and come back out once he was asleep?

“Alright, enano. Come on.” He led Daniel back to their tent, Finn wishing them a goodnight as they disappeared behind the canvas entrance.

It seemed like it would be easy at first. Daniel laid down quickly with no fuss, and Sean laid next to him. It was quiet for a good few minutes. Sean even assumed Daniel was asleep and prepared to sneak back out when the other spoke up.

“Hey, Sean?”

And there it was. The age-old ‘Hey, Sean?’. This usually meant it was time for a heart to heart with the wolf brothers. “What’s up, Daniel?”

“What’s going on with you and Finn?” Sean felt his heart stop and restart, like when you turn your car keys and the engine takes it’s sweet ass time doing what it’s fucking supposed to. How was he supposed to answer this? It was kind of vague.. Did Daniel really know something was up?

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not stupid, Sean. I can tell something’s different. He always looks at you weird and puts his arm around you and says funny things and I thought that was just a him thing, but now you’re looking at him weird too.” It was quiet for a moment, neither of the brothers knowing quite what to say. “Just tell me what’s going on. Please? And you promised not to lie anymore, don’t forget that.”

Sean remembered the hotel room. He remembered holding Daniel close as his powers went haywire. He remembered crying and promising him he would never ever lie to him again. Fuck, how could he forget? “I like Finn, Daniel. I like Finn a lot; and he likes me too.”

“Do you like him like.. Like how I liked Lyla?” Daniel curled further into himself, remembering just how long it had been since he’d seen her. “Like.. how you liked Jenn?”

“I think I like Finn more than I liked Jenn.” It was almost freeing, being this honest with his brother. Sean didn’t really have anyone to talk to about how he’d been feeling lately; but maybe he had and he just hadn’t considered it.

“Is.. is that allowed?” Their father hadn’t raised them to be hateful, Sean knew. Though he understood that explaining sexuality to his nine year old son probably wasn’t a priority.

“Yeah, it’s definitely allowed.” He assured him, choosing his words carefully. “People are allowed to like whoever they want. It doesn’t matter if they’re a boy or a girl.”

Another beat of silence.

“Okay.. good..”

“Good?” Now it was Sean’s turn to be confused.

Daniel rolled over so he was facing away from Sean, hands clasped around his arms as if he was keeping a hole in his chest tightly closed. “I think.. I think I liked Chris like I liked Lyla.. but.. I didn’t know if that was okay..”

Sean felt his heart stop. He remembered the first time he thought that way about a boy. He remembered how confused he was; how he had no one to talk to about it or help him. He realized that he could be that person for Daniel. That Daniel didn’t have to grow up feeling weird or wrong or unsure.

He put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder and gave a tight squeeze. “That’s perfectly okay, Daniel.”

The younger boy turned around to face his brother, a smile on his face and a tear in his eye. He didn’t dare let it fall. “Okay, you have to ask me about Finn now.”

And Sean was confused again. “What?”

“Finn is _my_ friend, Sean. If you want to be his boyfriend you have to ask me first.” This kid drove a hard bargain, that was for sure.

“Fucking hell, okay. Daniel, is it okay if I date Finn?” This was otherworldly levels of ridiculous, but it seemed to be making Daniel feel better.

“Hmm. Let me think about it.”

“Dude, seriously?”

“Okay, I’m done. I’ve decided that you can date Finn, but he’s still _my_ friend okay? So I come first. Bros before hoes.” Sean was gobsmacked. How did Daniel even know what that meant?

“Where did you even hear that?!”

“I’ve heard you say it. Checkmate, Sean.” He really needed to start giving Daniel more credit. Also watch what he says around him, apparently.

“Okay, this conversation is over. Time for bed.” Sean rolled over, Daniel’s laughter ringing in his ears. It was only a few minutes before he heard his brother’s soft snoring behind him. As stealthy as he could manage, Sean snuck through the flap of the tent and into the night air.

Finn was sitting by the lake, the sleeves of Sean’s hoodie pulled down as the air grew colder. Sean wanted to draw him like this, but he’d have to get his sketchbook from the tent and he didn’t want to risk waking Daniel. Neither said a word as he sat by Finn’s side and leaned his head against his shoulder, his fingers intertwining with Finn’s own as they settled in the grass.

“So.. Daniel has us figured out.” He broke the silence, feeling Finn’s laugh more than he heard it from the bounce of his shoulders.

“I knew he would. He’s a lot smarter than you give him credit for.” Boy did Sean know that now.

“Well don’t worry, because he gave me permission to date you. So we’re all good.” Finn nearly cackled.

“What, he think I’m gonna corrupt his sweet big bro?”

Sean snorted, shoving the other playfully. “More like he wants to remind me that I can’t come between your amazing friendship.”

“Damn, ice cold. Guess I’m the new favorite.”

“Please, you’ve been the favorite since he saw you with that dog at the Christmas market.”

They lulled into another comfortable silence, Finn rubbing the back of Sean’s hand with his thumb sensually as he nuzzled against him. Abruptly, he turned Sean to face him, taking both of his hands in his own. “Stay in my tent tonight. If Daniel knows, then we ain’t gotta hide anything anymore.” It was tempting. God, it was tempting. Sean had been thinking about it all day long.

“I’m sorry Finn, I can’t.” The way his face fell hurt. “I want to. Trust me, I really _really_ want to, but I don’t want Daniel to think that I’m just gonna push him to the side now that we don’t have to hide this anymore.” It definitely wasn’t want he wanted to hear, but Sean could tell he understood.

“I get it, baby, it’s alright. Daniel comes first, okay?” He leaned close, pressing his lips against Sean’s, slow and sensual. When they finally parted, he tugged at the hoodie with a grin. “I’m keeping this tonight, though. Smells like you.”

Sean leaned in for another kiss, the rushing of the waterfall fading as his mind focused only on the boy in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Be sure to leave comments and kudos if you've enjoyed this fic so far! I read every one and they make my whole day. I've got a Sean/Finn discord server now! If you'd like a link, definitely message me on my [tumblr!](https://sincerely-kleinman.tumblr.com/)


	4. i can tell just what you want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Moments like this were nice. As much as Sean liked keeping Daniel close, any alone time he got with Finn was cherished. He closed his hand tighter around Finn’s before pulling it to his lips and pressing a chaste kiss against his knuckles._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So excited to share another chapter with you all! Thanks so much for being patient and sticking by me. <3  
> Chapter title from What You Know by Two Door Cinema Club

‘Avoid small towns at all costs.’

It was a bit of advice Finn had given them at the start of their adventure together. In small towns, most people are familiar with their neighbors. It’s all too easy to spot a newcomer or outsider. Word travels fast. Gossip is an airborne disease infecting every listening ear at an alarming rate. Worst of all, there’s few places to run, and even fewer places to hide. Once you’re spotted, you’re as good as gone.

They’d been lucky in Beaver Creek. If it hadn’t been for Claire distracting the officer and Chris helping them escape, they never would’ve made it out of there.

This was one of the reasons they were headed for the next big city, an area in wine country called Santa Rosa. It would be easier to hide in plain sight, get lost in a sea of faces, and go about their business. Finn even had a job lined up for them thanks to a friend who used to work at the camp with him. The only problem was that Santa Rosa was still a few hundred miles away.

This was what brought them to the woods outside a small coastal town in northern California.

“You’re gonna need ID if we wanna ride the Greyhound to Santa Rosa. I know a guy who can hook us up, but you’re gonna have to come with so he can take your picture.”

Sean looked back at Finn with a raised eyebrow. Bus tickets usually weren’t something he liked to spend his money on since he had two perfectly functional legs to take him where he needed to go, but with how far away their destination was, he knew he could make an exception. The sooner they could start working the better. They’d be saving money in the long run by taking the bus.

“Can I get a fake ID too?” Daniel jogged forward to stand next to Finn, excitement in his eyes and pep in his step. “I want it to say I’m older than Sean.”

Sean snorted as Finn tousled the younger boy’s hair. “Don’t know how convincing that’ll be, but I’ll see what I can do, kiddo.”

Through the trees, Sean could see the ‘welcome’ sign on the other side of the road, too weathered to make out exactly what it said. He was nervous, hands sweaty as he counted backwards from ten. He and Daniel didn’t have a good track record with going out in public, and the possibility of something going wrong weighed on him heavily. He nearly jumped when he felt rough fingers worm their way between his own, grounding him instantly. He was here, he was safe, he had Daniel.

And he had Finn.

“Just think, sweetheart,” Finn leaned closer, voice low to keep from Daniel’s curious ears. “Once we have those IDs, we can check into a nice motel, get a separate room for Daniel-”

As if Sean would leave Daniel a whole room to himself. “In your dreams, ratoncito.” Daniel burst out laughing, Finn looking between the two in confusion.

“What’s that mean? Daniel, what’d he call me?”

“What? I can do pet names too.” He walked ahead, lips spread into a smug grin as Daniel trailed behind.

“Yeah, _ratoncito_! Sean can call you funny things too!”

Sean was sure something poetic could be said about crossing the road at this point. About leaving the safety of the woods and entering the danger of society. There was an irony to the idea that the wilderness had become their safe haven, but Sean was always more of an artist than a writer anyway. He wasn’t like Finn. Finn’s way with words was unmatched by anyone Sean had ever met. He always knew just what to say, tongue rolling around his accent and making Sean weak in the knees. He could be reading the nutrition facts on the back of a cereal box and it’d still make Sean swoon.

Finn hurried passed him, dreads bouncing as he took the lead. He’d clearly been here before, judging by his confident stride and immediate sense of direction as he lead them into town. Shops and offices lined the streets, old cement buildings which have stood the test of time and rough weather conditions. Sean felt exposed, naked, vulnerable. Every window they passed was a risk; every person a death sentence.

A jolt wracked through his spine as a rough hand grabbed his own with a tight squeeze. Finn always seemed to know when Sean needed him most. It was like a 6th sense. If Finn had told him that he was like Daniel, that he had the super power to sense Sean’s feelings and make them melt away instantly, he would believe him.

Their surroundings grew dimmer and dirtier as they ducked through a few alleys, weather-torn buildings increasingly less stable. It was the side of town people forgot about. No; the side of town they agreed to ignore.

Finn walked up the stone steps to a beige building, or at least Sean was sure that was the color it was originally. The walls were browned and dirty, graffiti splashed along the exterior, creeping onto the building directly next to it. Tattooed knuckles knocked loudly against the door, the sound almost making Sean jump. He couldn’t help the way his eyes darted left and right, as if the smallest sound or movement would draw everyone’s attention to them.

The door creaked as it opened slightly, the chain on the inside stopping it from opening any further. A pair of nut brown eyes glared towards them before widening in surprise. The person behind the door stepped back, unlatching the chain and throwing the door open. “Surprised to see you back so soon, cholo.” The man’s accent was thick as he gestured them inside. “It’s hardly been a year. You make new friends already?”

“You could say that.” The shrug of Finn’s shoulders was meant to suggest a relaxed and carefree mood, though Sean could tell Finn was a bit nervous. “I’m gonna need some IDs for these two. Maybe a few more papers if you’re down for it. You do owe me, after all.”

The man stared him down, a beat of silence thickening the tension in Sean’s shoulders.

Then he laughed. It was loud and friendly, booming from his chest as he clapped Finn on the shoulder. “Well, I’d still have another three years of prison time left if it weren’t for you and your brothers, so I will do you another favor. This is the last time, chico. No more favors.”

“Yeah yeah, that’s what you said last time, Carlos.”

The man, Carlos, lead them into his office and gestured Sean over to a small metal stool with large cameras and lights surrounding it. “I’ll need a photo of each of you. Finn, get started on the paperwork for their new identification.” Sean sat on the stool, a worn pillow the only comfort separating him from the hard metal surface. Carlos gripped his chin with stubby fingers, tilting his head in a few different angles before deciding on the best one. “You should consider growing a beard; it’ll make you look older. Better disguise.” Sean scrunched up his nose at the idea. It would be scratchy, but it probably would help hide his identity and make him look older.

“A beard? Sounds hot.” Finn snorted as Carlos swatted him in the back of the head before gesturing back to the paperwork. Sean was suddenly a lot more interested in growing a beard.

“Focus, I’m expecting another client in an hour.” Carlos got behind the camera, fingers counting down from three before flash went off. Sean wasn’t exactly ready, but Carlos seemed pleased with the photo. “Okay, pequeño is next.” Sean stepped off the stool as Daniel scurried up. He reached his arms out to help him only for his younger brother to swat them away.

“Make sure you get my good side.” Daniel messed with his hair a bit before sitting up straight, a wide smile on his face. It would’ve been cute if Sean didn’t know this photo was for a fake ID.

Who was he kidding? It was still cute.

The flash went off and Daniel insisted on seeing the photo. He scampered off the stool, rushing over to Carlos with wide, excited eyes. His face fell in an instant. “It looks like a mugshot.”

Carlos laughed, loud and boisterous, a hand ruffling Daniel’s dark hair. “All photo IDs look like mugshots, It’s unavoidable.” He held a hand out towards Finn, palm open and waiting. “You done with those papers yet?”

“Just about..” Finn scribbled a moment longer before handing the papers over to Carlos. He scanned over them quickly before looking up at the group, eyes travelling from face to face. Then, as if he hadn’t done it at all, his gaze was focused back on the papers.

“Buen, this will do nicely.” He placed the papers in a manila folder on his desk. “You three can wait out there while I get these printed. Do you have any questions?”

Finn smirked, an arm snaking its way around Sean. “Uh yeah, what does ‘ratoncito’ mean?”

Sean and Daniel laughed as Carlos looked between them, a chuckle on his lips and a knowing look in his eye. “I always thought of him more as a rabbit, but a tiny rat is accurate.” Finn’s jaw dropped, giving Carlos another hearty laugh before he ushered them out of the room so he could work.

“And here I thought we had somethin’ special.” Finn placed a tattooed hand on his chest in mock betrayal. Sean smiled at him, taking his hand in his own.

“You’re right, cariño. I shouldn’t have been so mean.”

“Gross, cut it out.” Daniel made dramatic fake vomiting noises as he pushed passed them to sit in a cushioned chair by the window.

Sean snorted as he and Finn took a seat next to Daniel. It was quiet for a beat before Sean willed himself to ask the question burning in his mind. “So is he an old friend or..?” Sean didn’t usually like to pry into Finn’s business. He knew he’d had a rough past, but it wasn’t his place to go digging or asking questions.

“Friend of my dad, actually.” Finn shrugged, feet kicking against the hardwood floor as he fidgeted. He always seemed to have a hard time sitting still. “Used to help him outta all kinds of trouble. Dad never really did appreciate him much, but he was always really nice to me and my bros.” He grew quiet, piecing together what he wanted to say next. “We uh.. We didn’t rat him out at the trial. Dad was throwin’ us under the bus, but Carlos didn’t need to go down with us. He’s a good man. His business is helpin’ immigrants get jobs and shit. Coulda’ wiped the slate clean after the investigation, focused on his real job. But he likes helpin’ people.”

It was admirable, in a way. The law wasn’t always fair, and that was something Sean had learned the hard way. If Carlos was taking risks like this to help complete strangers, he was good in Sean’s book.

They chatted for a while longer, Daniel quickly growing bored and roping Finn into a game of ‘floor is lava’. Finn was just about to jump from a chair to the sofa when Carlos entered the room, a stack of papers in hand. “By all means, continue destroying my furniture.” His voice held no malice as he turned to Sean. “That one hasn’t changed since he was young. Feels like just yesterday he was eating too many chicken nuggets and vomiting on my carpet.”

Sean cackled, his boyfriend’s scandalized expression only adding to the hilarity of the situation.

Finn mumbled something under his breath that sounded vaguely like ‘that only happened twice come on’, face flushed as he accepted the papers from the other’s hand. He scanned through them one by one, the embarrassment on his face quickly melting into excitement. “Thank you so much, Carlos. I don’t know what I’d do without ya.”

The older man shrugged before giving Finn a friendly clap on the back. “You’d get by, I’m sure. Remember, this is the last time, okay? No more freebies. No more favors.”

There was something in Finn’s eyes that Sean couldn’t quite decipher. He smiled wide, crooked teeth charming and happy. “Yeah, sure. See ya in another year, you old soul.”

As they walked down the stone steps, Sean felt a lot better than when they first arrived. He felt calm and collected. It no longer seemed like everyone’s eyes were on him.

“Can I see my ID now? Please!” Daniel was practically jumping up and down in excitement. Finn pulled a small envelope out of the pile of documents, looking over each card with a smile before passing Daniel his own. “Daniel Rivas? That’s my new name? Oh hey it says I’m 10! Look Sean, I’m 10 now!” He shoved the small card in Sean’s face.

“Hold still, enano. I can’t read it with you moving around so much.” Daniel kept his hand steady and allowed Sean to read the information on the card. “Can I see mine?” Finn nodded, face flushed as he handed Sean his own ID. How odd. Sean scanned over it, halting as he read his fake name. “Oh shit, Finn. I think Carlos made a mistake. He put McNamara as my last name instead of Rivas.”

“No yeah, that was on purpose actually.” Sean raised an eyebrow. “Here’s our cover story, sweetheart. You and I are newlyweds, and Daniel here’s your little brother we legally adopted after your parents died in a tragic car accident.”

“That sounds really convoluted.”

“Exactly! It’s so convoluted nobody’s gonna assume it ain’t true.”

“Excuse me, boys.” The voice of an older woman approaching them shot Sean’s anxiety up to an 11. He pulled his hood up as casually as possible and moved closer to Finn. He prayed that he wouldn’t be recognized.

She was a skinny woman with grey hair, a stack of pamphlets nestled in her boney arms. “Can you spare a moment to hear about my church?” She didn’t seem to notice the way Daniel stuck his tongue out at the word ‘church’.

“Sorry, m’am, we’re just passin’ through.” Finn attempted to wave her off, but she only stepped closer.

“Oh, we’ve got houses of worship all over, dear.” She grabbed a pamphlet from the pile with a shaky hand and held it out. “Please, take one. Take one and discover our one true god.”

Finn grabbed it hesitantly before shoving it into his pocket. This seemed to please her well enough. As she moved to walk away, she halted, eyes training themselves on Daniel. With a sickeningly sweet smile, she patted his head. “Be sure he reads it. No child should grow up without god.” And then, as suddenly as she came, she was gone. Finn scoffed, rolling his eyes as he grabbed hold of Sean’s hand.

“Can’t stand old bats like that. Pushin’ religion on other peoples’ kids without permission. Pisses me off.”

The rest of the walk back to camp was uneventful. They marched through the trees before they found the small clearing where their tents were set up, the campfire from the night before mere ashes now. “Finally, that town sucked.” Daniel rushed towards his tent, probably excited to relax and play with his toys for a bit.

Moments like this were nice. As much as Sean liked keeping Daniel close, any alone time he got with Finn was cherished. He closed his hand tighter around Finn’s before pulling it to his lips and pressing a chaste kiss against his knuckles.

“Damn, someone’s feeling awfully affectionate tonight.” The flush on the other’s face didn’t go unnoticed.

“I always am. It’s just.. I don’t like doing anything in front of Daniel.” Finn nodded, wrapping an arm around Sean’s waist to pull him closer.

“I mean, my motel offer is still on the table.”

“Finn, no!” Sean laughed as the other buried his face in his neck, tickling him with kisses. He takes Finn’s face between his hands, thumb rubbing over the triangles on his cheek before he pulls him in for a deep kiss.

“Ew, gross!” Sean practically jumps away from Finn as his head snaps in Daniel’s direction.

“Daniel what the hell? I thought you were playing!”

“Yeah, and I thought you were gonna make dinner but I guess you just decided to eat each other instead!”

Sean’s face flushed a brilliant shade of red as Finn laughed hysterically, hands on his knees as he leaned against him. “You’re both ridiculous.” He rolled his eyes and hurried over to the tent. He’d pick out something to make for dinner, and maybe _then_ he could finally have a moment alone with Finn.

As he made to exit the tent, a few cans of beans in his arms, he could hear Daniel talking with a strange tone. He halted, peaking through the tent flap at the two boys across the way.

“He’s all I have, okay? I mean it.” Daniel stepped forward, a look in his eye Sean had only seen one other time. “If you hurt him, I’m going to hurt you.”

Finn took a step back, cheerful smile doing nothing to hide the panic in his eyes. “You got nothin’ to worry about, little man. I care about Sean more than anything. I’d never hurt him.”

And just like that, Daniel was back to his normal, innocent self. He hugged Finn tightly, mumbling something Sean couldn’t hear.

This seemed like the best time for Sean to reemerge. He shuffled through the tent flap, an arm full of metal cans and a mind full of questions. “Does beans sound okay to you guys?”

Daniel shrugged, rushing back to the tent to play with his toys before dinner. “As long as it’s not ravioli, I’m good.”

As Sean started the campfire, Finn wrapped his arms around him from behind and pressed delicate kisses to the back of his neck. Sean giggled, leaning into the touch.“If Daniel comes out and sees this he won’t be happy.”

“Damn, yeah.” A small chuckle left fins lips as he smiled against Sean’s soft skin. “I think he just tried to give me the ‘scary dad’ talk.”

“I heard him, actually.” The logs in the fire pit set ablaze and Sean reached for their can opener. “I’m gonna talk to him about it, that wasn’t cool.”

“No worries, sweetie, it’s fine.” Another chaste kiss, right behind his ear. “He loves you, y’know. Wants to protect you. Keep you safe. Like you do for him. This is the only way he knows how.”

The beans didn’t take long to cook, the smell summoning Daniel from his tent sanctuary. Finn was holding Sean’s hand as Daniel took a seat around the fire and started eating.

“You know.. Sean.. You snore a lot.” Finn nearly choked from how hard he was laughing at Daniel’s sudden outburst. Sean’s eyes narrowed, face filling with color. The traitor.

“Daniel, seriously?!”

“It’s true! You snore a lot and It’s hard to sleep! S-So I wanna sleep in the tent by myself and you can sleep in Finn’s tent.” It was quiet as Sean and Finn slowly processed what Daniel was doing. He seemed to feel bad for never letting them be openly affectionate, especially when having time alone together was nearly impossible. “Just for tonight though, okay? I just.. Need a break from you snoring so much is all.”

Finn shot Daniel a smile and a two fingered salute. “Don’t worry, buddy. I can endure Sean’s awful snoring so you can get a good night’s rest.”

The idea of finally having some time alone with Finn was enough to make Sean race through his dinner. Before long, he was wishing Daniel a good night and rushing over to his boyfriend’s tent. As he laid against Finn’s sleeping bag, he was too excited to be embarrassed over how eager he was. They hadn’t done anything more than hand holding and a few chaste kisses since leaving camp. Daniel had simply made it impossible. Even after he’d told him about their relationship, his brother still made it hard for them to express any form of physical affection.

And god, Sean had a lot of pent up affection he wanted to give.

“Look at you, laid out nice and pretty for me.” That teasing grin and thick accent were all Sean needed. He pulled Finn on top of him, kissing him hard and needy and desperate. He tangled his fingers in thick dreads, legs wrapping around Finn’s hips as he tried to pull him closer. “Sh-shit Sean, hang on.” Finn pulled up, trying his hardest to resist the clear pout on Sean’s face. “Don’t give me that look.” He sighed, a hand caressing Sean’s face gently. “You sure you wanna do this right now? With Daniel so close?”

“I don’t know when we’ll get the chance again.”

“And what if he gets scared and comes lookin’ for ya? It’s his first night by himself.” Sean really, _really_ didn’t want to admit that Finn was right. He wanted to throw caution to the wind and finally take everything he’d been craving the past few days.

But Finn was right.

“Ugh, fine!” Sean rolled onto his side, a dull need still throbbing inside of him. Finn settled behind him, arms wrapping around his waist as he buried his face in the crook of Sean’s neck. Sean discovered very quickly that he enjoyed being a little spoon.

“Cheer up, my little Sean. Won’t be like this too much longer.” He peppered his neck with sweet kisses and Sean melted against his warmth. “And my motel idea is still on the table in case you’ve changed your mind.”

Feeling Finn half hard against his back almost made him reconsider. Almost. “Nice try, but i don’t think so.”

“Meh, worth a shot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Sean, oh my god.  
> Thank you so much for reading! Be sure to leave comments and kudos if you've enjoyed this fic so far! I also run the Sean/Finn discord server! If you'd like a link, message me on my [tumblr!](https://sincerely-kleinman.tumblr.com/)


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